Originally Posted by yorkie100:
“You have said this before - so would you like to explain this time?”
Judges comments are scripted to influence certain opinions, camera angles can be quick cut away or close up depending whether they want the viewers to focus on the dancers or not, the leaderboard is controlled in a certain way - the 2008 semi-final is the perfect example of this depending on which angle you would like to argue - the lighting and props (e.g. Ann getting to fly; Russell appearing from a clam; Mark having his surname flash on the backboards tonight) making a routine memorable. The dance order is also manipulated (I'm sure two of the younger contestants plus the most controversial contestant so far dancing as The X Factor started was a happy coincidence) though that's more to keep an audience - though the later someone goes the less likely they'll be forgotten in the public vote.
And what about the dance choices? The production team give each couple the dance to do each week and now they're reasonably random. How do you think they choose the order? Out of a hat? Or maybe to push forward the dancers they want to promote and to eliminate couples they feel have served their time. The whole John Sargeant debacle was being handled stunningly by production until he lost faith in them getting rid of him at the right time.
And I haven't even started on the pre-dance VTs, with either present a happy tale or a miserable one. I've lost count of the number of times couples have seethed on It Takes Two saying that what was seen on the show was not what was it like in terms of disagreements or one member of the couple etc. storming out. Then we have presenters trying to bring up romances like they're pushing themselves forward as Emma Willis' replacement on Big Brother - Claudia was even more forward than Tess tonight with the 'kiss' and 'wedding' comments to Thom and Iveta this evening. That's not to mention the numerous press articles about potential relationships burgeoning between the couples; most of them will be from the production team - it's not like the editor of The Mirror has 24/7 access to every training room and living room.
Strangely, it's very much like The X Factor. The X Factor does much the same thing as above. The difference is Strictly likes to keep this side of it covered up while The X Factor loves it and promotes it in the press. Maybe it's now backfiring on the latter?
I hasten to add ALL reality TV shows do this is one way or another. It isn't just Strictly and The X Factor.
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